A I started when I was about 10-years-old. Me and my brother [Ryan] saved up enough money to buy 10 little baby chicks, and then we started giving eggs away to our grandparents. It kind of grew to my grandparent’s friends, and then they started buying them from us. We continued to buy more and grow slowly, and eventually we had about 100 [chickens]. Then, we had some interest from a couple stores around here, and that’s when it really picked up.

Q Have you been selling eggs since you were 10?

A I started when I was 10, and when I was about 13 or 14, I got into high school, of course, and then it became a choice between do you want to go to school and play sports or do you want to keep raising these chickens? I made the decision to sell some of the chickens. After high school, I went to [Santa Rosa Junior College], studied animal science, and then started Tomales Bay Pastures right after I graduated.

Q Does farming run in the family?

A Yes, [my dad] is a beef rancher. He’s the one who really introduced me to the whole farming concept, because I grew up taking care of the beef cows, as a young kid, because that’s my dad’s passion. Beef cows were my thing as a kid but once I got my first chicken, that’s what I really liked doing.

Q What inspired you to start Tomales Bay Pastures?

A The opportunity came two weeks before I graduated. I had somebody call and say, “By chance, would you be interested in buying my chicken flock?” and I jumped right on it.

Q What does a typical day look like for you?

A Chickens are very routine animals. They like the same routine every day. I fill the feeders and the water tanks in the morning, and then I have an office job during the day with my dad’s construction company, and then after work is when I really do all my chicken work. I go up there, and have to get all the eggs which takes three or four hours, put the shavings in the boxes, make phone calls, all of that good stuff.

Q You let the hens roam and forage on their own?

A Totally. I rely on my three guard dogs; they’re Great Pyrenees. I let them do all the work with the predatory management. I have to give all my credit to them that I am able to do this. I don’t use any fences at all. I let the birds forage as far as they want to go. My birds eat about 50 percent less feed than a commercial facility because they’re eating all these bugs and grasses, and it’s really saves me money in the long run. I’m not paying for as much feed and the birds are way happier. The eggs taste a million times better.

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Q What are some of your favorite parts of what you do?

A I really like meeting the people who support the local agriculture. It means the world to me. None of us farmers would be able to do this without them. I just started at the [Point Reyes] farmer’s market a few weeks ago ... It’s the best decision that I have made thus far. You kind of build a relationship with these people, the same people come back every week. They ask how are the birds doing, are they enjoying this hot weather? I really like that. I feel so lucky to live in a place where people care so much about what they eat and support their farmers.